Device for transporting objects and use of said device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for transporting objects by an airflow in a channel, which is produced by joining two interlocking bodies, the first body having a convex surface and the second body having a concave surface. The first body has a recess which forms the channel. The formation of this recess in a convex surface ensures that a high degree of dimensional accuracy and a good surface quality are easy to achieve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device for transporting objects by means ofairflow in a channel. The invention also relates to the use of thedevice.

2. Description of the Related Art

EP 0 216 203 B1 has disclosed a device for transporting objects by meansof an airflow in a channel, in which the channel is formed by a cuboidbody which has a substantially U-shaped recess extending over the lengthof the channel and covered by a plate.

The U-shape of the channel has the disadvantage that, in particular inthe miniaturized dimension necessary for objects of less than 0.6 mm×0.6mm, it cannot be produced with the necessary dimensional accuracy andsmoothness of the surface. The consequence is that the objects areeasily left behind in the channel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a devicefor transporting objects by means of an airflow in a channel in whichthe channel, adapted in diameter to objects of small dimensions,especially to objects of dimensions less than 0.6 mm×0.6 mm, can beproduced with a very high degree of dimensional accuracy and smoothnessof the walls.

This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a device fortransporting objects by airflow in a channel, including a first bodyhaving a convex surface formed of a section of a cylinder and having aplanar section recessed from and intersecting the convex surface andparallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, and a second bodyjoined interlockingly with the first body and having a concave surfacematching the shape of the convex surface, so that the recess forms thechannel. Alternatively, the device may include a first body having asurface formed of a right prism with a base polygon having adjacentsides forming an angle α<180° at an intersection of the adjacent sides,said first body having a recess along an edge of the prism at theintersection of the sides defining the angle α, and a second body joinedinterlockingly with the first body and having a shape of a right prismwith a base polygon having adjacent sides defining an angle β, such thatα+β=360°, so that the channel is formed with a uniform cross sectiondefined by the adjacent sides of the second body and the recessextending along the edge of the first body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a first device according to the invention in diagrammaticcross section.

FIG. 2 shows a second device according to the invention in diagrammaticcross section.

The invention is described in detail below with reference to twoexamples of embodiment and the associated figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention for transportingobjects, in which the channel 2 is formed by joining a body 5, having asurface in the shape of a convex cylindrical surface, and a body 4,having a surface in the shape of a concave cylindrical surface. The body5 contains a recess 2 which has a cross section in the shape of asegment of a circle, was formed by straight cutting-off of thecylindrical surface, and forms the channel 2.

FIG. 2 shows a device according to the invention for transportingobjects in which the channel 2 is formed by joining a cuboid 1 and anL-shaped body 3. The cuboid 1 contains a recess of rectangular crosssection which forms the channel 2.

The invention specifies a device for transporting objects by means of anairflow in a channel, which is shaped by joining a first body, having aconvex surface, and a second body, having a concave surface. The shapeof the concave surface matches the shape of the convex surface so thatthe two bodies can be interlockingly joined. The convex surface of thefirst body is described by a cylindrical surface. It has a linear recessenclosing at least parts of the convex surface and lying parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the cylinder. This recess forms the channeltogether with the interlockingly attached second body.

As a result of the formation of the channel according to the inventionfrom a convex and a concave body, a substantial part of the channel isalready preformed by the shape of the bodies. The channel can thus beproduced, for example, by a simple straight cutting-off of part of theconvex surface of the first body. In contrast to the formation of aU-shaped channel such a processing step can be carried out with muchgreater accuracy.

Furthermore, the invention specifies a device for transporting objectsby means of an airflow in a channel in which the channel is formed byjoining two bodies which are so delimited by plane surfaces that theycan be joined interlockingly. The first body has the shape of animaginary right prism, in which, in the polygon delimiting its basesurface, two sides define an angle α<180°. The second body likewise hasthe shape of a right prism, in which, in the polygon delimiting its basesurface, at least two sides define a reflex angle β, such that α+β=360°.The first body (1) has a recess enclosing at least an edge of the prismlying between the sides defining the angle α, so that the channelextending parallel to this edge is formed with a uniform cross sectionbetween the first and the added second body and encloses the recess.

As a result of the formation according to the invention of the channelby means of two bodies delimited by plane surfaces and interlockinglyfitting together, a substantial part of the channel is already preformedby the shape of the bodies. The channel can thus be produced, forexample, by a simple straight cutting-out of a recess of L-shaped crosssection from the first body. In contrast to the formation of a U-shapedchannel, such a processing step can be carried out with much greateraccuracy.

Many objects to be transported have the cross-sectional shape ofparallelograms, in particular rectangles. It is therefore particularlyadvantageous to design the cross section of the channel as aparallelogram.

Moreover, a device for transporting objects in which the recess is asquare in cross section having a surface area less than 0.6 mm×0.6 mmand in which the angle α=90° is particularly advantageous. Such a deviceis, first, particularly suitable for transporting small objects havingdimensions corresponding to the cross section of the recess. Inaddition, the channel of this device is particularly easy to producefrom an L-shaped body and a cuboid body, one side edge of which isreplaced by an L-shaped recess.

In the device according to the invention, the recess forming the channelcan be produced in a particularly simple manner with dimensionalaccuracy and with smooth walls. It is particularly suitable fortransporting objects by means of an airflow over relatively longdistances. Accordingly, a device for transporting objects in which thelength of the recess and hence of the channel is greater than 400 mm isparticularly advantageous.

The device according to the invention for transporting objects can beused particularly advantageously for transporting electrical components,in particular resistors or capacitors. Accordingly, the device can beused in a particularly advantageous manner in feed modules for automaticfitting machines for fitting circuit boards with electrical components.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for transporting objects by an airflowin a channel, comprising a first body having a surface formed of a rightprism with a base polygon having adjacent sides forming an angle α<180°at an intersection of the adjacent sides, said first body having arecess along an edge of the prism at the intersection of the sidesdefining the angle α, and a second body joined interlockingly with thefirst body and having a shape of a right prism with a base polygonhaving adjacent sides defining an angle β, such that α+=360°, so thatthe channel is formed with a uniform cross section defined by theadjacent sides of the second body and the recess extending along theedge of the first body.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, in whichthe channel, is a parallelogram in cross section.
 3. The device asclaimed in claim 1, in which the angle α=90° and the channel is a squarein cross section having a surface area less than 0.6 mm×0.6 mm.
 4. Thedevice as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an entry at one end ofthe channel to receive objects which include electrical components fortransport through the channel.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1,further comprising an entry at one end of the channel to receive atleast one of resistors and capacitors for transport through the channel.6. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an entry at oneend of the channel to receive modules for automatic fitting machines fortransport through the channel.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 3, inwhich the length of the channel is greater than 400 mm.